In response to U.S. sanctions imposed yesterday on an Iranian businessman with ties to the Revolutionary Guard and ballistic missile programs, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused Washington of malice. The ministry's spokesperson, Saeed Khatibzadeh, stated today that these new U.S. sanctions demonstrate Washington's exploitation of any opportunity to pressure Iranians.
He further described this move as another indication of what he termed "the malicious intent of the U.S. government towards the Iranian people," emphasizing that the American administration continues its unsuccessful policy of applying maximum pressure on Iran. Additionally, he pointed out that Washington, with this action, violated United Nations Resolution 2231 despite its claims of wanting to revive the nuclear agreement.
The U.S. Treasury Department announced yesterday that it imposed sanctions on Mohammad Ali Hosseini, residing in Tehran, and his network of companies, accused of assisting Iranian authorities in obtaining components for its ballistic missile program. He was also accused of using his companies to purchase materials related to ballistic missile propulsion systems and other components to support Iran's missile program, as well as buying materials for a unit in the Revolutionary Guard responsible for ballistic missile research and development.
It is noted that these sanctions represent the latest move by the U.S. administration, despite the nuclear negotiations that began in the Austrian capital in April 2021 approaching their final stages, amid Western, particularly European, concerns that the remaining details or issues could jeopardize the chances of success for these talks and thus revive the agreement signed in 2015 between Tehran and the West.
